This week went by in a hazy blur. My uncle was on my mind. It was hard not being able to be there to say our final goodbye. On the day of the funeral I took a day off from the corporate, bought some doughnuts and spent time with my mum and dad and remembered the good old days including how much of a sweet tooth my uncle was. It was also great to be home and not travelling for work.
After a week of much needed rest, it was back to business in regards to training. The next 5 weeks of the program looks intense. This week was all about “easing” back into it. I use the term loosely because it was anything but easy! I’m in a little pain but more about that later.
Here is how my running week rolled by:
Monday 14 September 2015
My Monday run has gone from an ‘easy 40’ to an ‘easy 45’. You’re probably thinking, no biggie it’s only 5 extra minutes. Well 5 extra minutes means nearly a km extra so it is sort of a big deal. Running is a bit of a mind game and my mind constantly tries to talk me out of that extra km or few minutes. Lucky for me that today the force was strong within me and fueled by warm weather I did it and went beyond! I did an ‘easy 48’ because I wanted to hit 8km. Yes, I’m OCD. I like to finish on round kms.
Wednesday 16 September 2015
Today was speed day. Today hurt. The mission was to run 4 x 2km with 90sec rest. I did it but I didn’t love it or my speed. I landed an average pace of 5’30” per km. Some kms were better and they were usually the 2nd of the set. My left hip hurt. Bad. I made sure I had a good stretch when I got home and popped some ibuprofen. I hobbled around the corporate today…stiff as. I really need to do these speed days on a nice level surface. One day.
Friday 18 September 2015
Lovely spring blooms at dusk
My hip continued to hurt on my rest day and I kept popping my ibuprofen and got re-acquainted with my old mate the foam roller. I gave myself a good rolling on Thursday and thought I’d be ready to run on Friday morning. My mind was willing but my body was not. I felt queasy and sore and made the call not to run in the morning and climbed back into bed. Tossing and turning I decided I wasn’t going to be a wuss and I’ll be damned if this would be my first DNF of the program. I packed my running gear in my backpack and decided to run after work. The run from work was going to be a part of my ‘Easy 60′ for today. Again this was a big jump from the usual Friday 55’.
After battling my inner lazy demons, I geared up after work and started running. My hip still caned and my backpack was heavy from the shopping I did on my lunchbreak. It is a different dynamic running through crowded city streets carrying a pack. I didn’t enjoy it much. My pack wasn’t designed for running. I didn’t quite know what to do with my arms so I spent half the time holding the straps of my pack and the other flailing them about wildly. Lucky it is only 4km home. It ditched the pack and kept going and that was when it started feeling good. It was a beautifully mild day and despite the pain in my hip I enjoyed myself. I finished my run by running down to Nutgrove Beach and back. I managed just over 10km at a pace of 5:52.
The hip really hurt when I stopped so I had a good long session with Mr Foam Roller. It made me feel oh so good I was literally moaning in ecstacy. However, I found I kept sliding off and not just from the sweat. You see I’ve got a stumpy foam roller because I was a tight arse when I bought it back in 2013 after I had an ITB injury. I need to buy a longer one…maybe one that is ribbed for my pleasure? (God this paragraph sounds so filthy!)
Meet my new long, hard BFF
Saturday 19 September 2015
Another failed Parkrun Day. I was so stiff and sore I couldn’t be bothered getting out of bed and facing the hills. Pity, because it was the perfect day for it. I went out for breakfast instead. We walked about 1.5km to our usual breakfast place and it HURT! I’m starting to get really worried about this hip issue now. I went out and bought a longer roller and self medicated with ibuprofen. I started feeling a bit better as the day wore on and as I walked a bit more so I said ‘fuck it let’s run.’ I did a 5km trot around the neighbourhood and through town. The first 2km were horrible but then as I warmed it, it felt better. It was great to be out in the sun and fresh air. I never regret running.
Sunday 20 September 2015
Long run day. Despite all of the love I’ve been giving my hip with the aid of my new BFF the Foam Roller it still hurt. I was nearly going to call it off but I just can’t stop, won’t stop. I’ve worked so hard. I will not be defeated by my stupid hip. I drove up to the Pipeline with John (who is training for the P2P walk) and was shitting myself the whole way there. Once there there was nothing left to do but run. The first 600 metres were pure agony! I was seriously going to turn around and go sit in the car but somehow I kept going. My pride has alot to answer for. I started feeling OK by km 5. I was running slow and cautiously. Instead of the usual smile on my face I had on a determined scowl. Shortly after km 8 and I started heading back I saw Shelley and Peter G on the track. Their smiles and hi 5 helped keep me going.
The return journey was certainly better. It’s amazing how you can will yourself not to feel pain so much when you focus on the beauty of the trail in front of you. There were also other runners on the track and seeing them helped me carry on to the finish. I managed to do my 16km in 1 hour 36min at an avg pace of 6′ per km. Not amazing but hell I pushed through.
Reflections on Week 11
I know that when I’m on the course at the Cadbury Marathon I will have many moments where I’m going to feel pain, when I’m going to want to give up and just stop. It is weeks like this that show me that I can push through and keep on going. I’ve also learned that I need to look after my body a bit better with stretching and rolling. I’m also booking in for a much needed massage. Week 12 is even more challenging than week 11…bring it on!
